


Father Time And His Son

by Spectre_Cainus



Series: Rewind AU [1]
Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, also all my fics have at least 1 griffin whats the deal with that, its either thinkfast or krux and griffin, lets drink to that, no thinkfast but a lot of krux/saunders, pick ur poison, the first fic without thinkfast
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2019-02-14 08:25:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13003770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spectre_Cainus/pseuds/Spectre_Cainus
Summary: Some assorted one-shots (?????) from an AU i had but got lazy to draw serious art forquick summary of the AU: Krux is Griffin dad, time stuff happens and in this timeline he's actually taking care of Griffin in Non-Evil Ways™





	1. A Tournament

**Author's Note:**

> this whole fic is just evidence of my denial that Griffin isn't canonically recognised as the Master of Time
> 
> I'm likely going to add on a few more chapters for whatever season I find appropriate, there's another one in the making for HoT after Acronix returns. Since the chapters aren't going to be in chronological order, they'll be named based on what season it takes place in (or i'll put it in the chapter notes).
> 
> so anyway enjoy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krux and Garmadon not-so-sneakily stowaway on the ferry to Chen's island.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Takes place during The Invitation, aka S4E1.)

Griffin opened the door as quietly as he could, tiptoeing into the living room once he had taken off his sneakers. He briefly considered turning on a light, only for the lights to flicker on as an angry Krux glared at him from the kitchen. His father readjusted his oversized glasses, moustache twitching as he yelled, “And where do you think you’re going, young man?”

“Come on Dad, it’s a Friday night!” Griffin quickly hid the box of takeout he had saved for his trip behind his back, walking backwards towards the stairs. “I’m not a teen anymore, so you don’t need to know where I’m going every time I leave the house. Why are you still wearing that dumb disguise anyway? You’re at home, take it off!”

“I know that I don’t need to know, but it’s just basic courtesy to tell your own father where you’re going for the weekend.” Krux took a few steps forward, attempting to block off the stairs. “And don’t you dare question my decisions, Griffin. If I want to wear this scratchy moustache until I die, then so be it!”

Griffin, having grown annoyed, quickstepped up the stairs, stopping at the top to pull a face before dashing off to his room. Krux just shook his head, getting ready to return to his work when he caught a glimpse of the takeout his son had left on the floor. The golden symbol on the box shone with an unnatural light, sending shivers down his spine when he remembered what the symbol was.

He remembered the countless times he had destroyed flags bearing the symbol, chaos breaking out around him and his teammates whenever they were sent to take down enemy bases proudly displaying them. It was a symbol of power, one of the most feared symbols back in those days of death and destruction. A symbol that sent human troops running when their battle cries filled the air, their slithering opponents chasing after them like predators chasing their prey. The symbol of the most horrifying war machines of the century, made from violet scales, dark thoughts, and everything else vile in the world: the Anacondrai.

Krux stared at the symbol, old scars itching as he recalled the battles that had taken place during the Serpentine War. With a sigh, he took off his disguise, allowing the cool evening air to refresh him as his reminiscences filled his mind. He gently rubbed the scar on his left hand, a painful reminder of how he had almost turned against his own kind during the War.

In an act of foolish pride, Krux had left the Elemental Masters’ base on his own, stumbling into a known ambush in hopes of capturing a high ranking Serpentine soldier to prove his strength. To his dismay, he had encountered a Hypnobrai scout, who quickly attempted to hypnotise the then Master of Time. In a final attempt to escape the trance, Krux had stabbed his hand with his dagger, successfully breaking free before taking down the scout by himself. After he was rescued, Acronix had called him out for attempting something that dangerous, refusing to heal his hand completely as a warning.

Acronix, his fellow partner in crime. His twin brother, now lost to time as punishment for their greed. Krux felt himself start to tear up, gritting his teeth as he fought the urge to cry. Only another four more years, he reminded himself. Four more years, before he would be reunited with his brother at last. There would be plenty of time for tears to be shed once they were reunited. Perhaps they could even schedule some time for a family outing, just the three of them. Would Acronix even approve of Griffin? Krux shook his head, forcing himself to clear his thoughts and focus on the symbol again.

Who would dare to use that symbol in such a casual manner?

Krux climbed up the stairs, picking up the box and turning it around. The symbol was printed on all four sides of the box, with a string of small numbers printed on the lid. With a sigh, he went back downstairs, grabbing a phonebook and flipping through it. (Griffin had shown him countless times how to use the Internet, but no technology anyone could ever invent would beat a book. At least, that is what he thought.) It took him a few minutes before he found the correct restaurant, the name nearly causing him to drop the heavy book.

“Mister Chen’s Noodle House?!”

The former Elemental Master knew all too well to stay clear of Chen. Betraying his own kind like that to side with some stupid snakes? Only an idiot would dare do such a thing. “But Chen’s no idiot,” he said to himself, “far from one, in fact. How did he even get to the mainland?” He left the book on the couch, pacing the room as thoughts filled his mind. “Technically, we never said that his followers couldn’t leave the island...” He glanced out of a window. “As long as neither Chen nor Clouse set foot on the mainland, we wouldn’t have a problem. But that!” He glared at the takeout. “That’s a damned problem right there! How did his influence even spread this far?!”

“Hey dad?” Griffin peaked out from his room, curious about all the noise downstairs. “Is everything okay? Who are you talking to?”

Krux mentally scolded himself as he faked a smile. “Nothing’s wrong, Griffin. I’m just thinking about something. Old things. Is something the matter?”

“Well, I just wanted to let you know that I’m hanging out with some friends for the entirety of next week,” Griffin replied. “You wouldn’t mind being alone for a week, would you?”

“Of course not.” Krux frowned when he noticed Griffin staring elsewhere. “Now go back to sleep, you’ll need the energy for your outing.”

Griffin nodded, closing his door with a click. Krux stared out of a window, the quiet street illuminated by warm rays of light with no vehicles present to disturb the peace. Perhaps he had overthought the entire situation. If Chen had wanted to take revenge on the mainland, he would have done so long ago, no? Krux was about to let the matter rest, only for his phone to start ringing in his pocket. (The annoying device had been given to him as a birthday present by his very own son. He despised it, yet Griffin seemed absolutely delighted when he gave in and accepted his gift. Krux loved that look of pure joy. After all, he rarely saw it anymore.) He waited impatiently for the caller to hang up, finally giving in after the third call. “Hello?” he answered, caught off guard by how tired he sounded.

“Saunders,” a familiar voice jolted him awake, “are you alone right now?”

“Perhaps I am.” Krux checked his pocket watch, flinching when he realised it was nearly midnight. “Why do you ask?”

“I don’t have much time to explain, but can you meet me at the pier by midnight? Something bad might be happening.” Krux let out a yawn, the phone nearly slipping from his grasp. “It involves Griffin.” The former Elemental Master jolted awake again. “See you there.” Not waiting for a response, the caller hung up.

Krux checked his watch again. He had fifteen minutes if he was going to the meeting. His gaze wandered over to where he had left his disguise, the moustache and glasses resting on the counter top. With a sigh, he got up from the couch and grabbed the disguise, putting it on with minimal effort. He checked his attire in the nearby mirror before setting out, making sure to grab the emergency abandonment kit from under the shoe rack. (A kit most people should not have in their household, but he liked to keep it just in case someone found out his true identity. Filled with rations, water, and various articles of clothing, it was meant to give him a headstart while on the run. Griffin had helped him pack it, throwing in some extras out of his own pocket to ensure his safety. Krux could not help but question the necessity of chewing gum, though.)

Luckily for him, their home was a mere ten minute walk from the pier, allowing him to arrive earlier than the caller’s meeting time. He was about to sit down when he noticed a large group gathering near the docks. To his surprise, he saw the familiar crimson aviators of his own son, the brunette silently staring towards the sea instead of chatting with the others around him. As he continued to stare, he noticed a few other familiar faces in the crowd. Most notably, Ninjago’s “saviours”: the Ninja.

“I see you’ve found them before I did, Krux.” Krux turned to look at the newcomer, unintentionally scowling at them.

“Hello, Lord Garmadon.”

“It’s Sensei. Sensei Garmadon.” Garmadon stared at the crowd, frowning when he saw his son amongst them. “This gathering. Do you have any idea what it could be?”

“If the Ninja are in it, it probably has to do with their elements.” Krux pointed out a transparent individual, their clothes barely indicating where their body would be. “That’s the current Master of Light, so it’s very likely a gathering of Elemental Masters.”

Garmadon nodded, his reply cut short by the arrival of a large ferry. A man with a ponytail greeted the crowd, seemingly inviting them onto the boat. “Clouse,” he snarled, disgust seeping into his voice. “So Chen really is behind all of this nonsense.”

“We have to stop them.” Krux started walking towards the crowd, which was steadily growing smaller as the Elemental Masters boarded the ferry. “We can’t let them out of our sights!”

The duo ran as fast as they could, arriving just as Lloyd was about to step onto the ferry. The green ninja stared at the two, eyes widening in surprise when he realised who Krux was with. “Dad?”

“You can’t trust him, Lloyd!” Garmadon grabbed him gently by the shoulders. “Master Chen is full of nothing but lies. I don’t know what he’s told you, but once you set foot on that ship, you’re never coming back!”

“I have to go, Dad.” Lloyd brushed his hands away. “It’s about family. It’s about Zane. If Chen is telling the truth, and Zane is really still alive, then we have to get him back!”

Clouse turned away from the Ninja, staring at the trio before him. “Lord Garmadon! What a pleasant surprise. Oh, it’s Sensei now, isn’t it? I just can’t seem to get it right.” He glanced at Krux. “And who might you be? A loyal minion?”

“Who I am doesn’t matter,” Krux snarked, trying his best to sound intimidating with his fake accent. “But for the record, I am not Garmadon’s lackey.”

“Lackey or not, you two are not welcome here.” He turned to Lloyd, who was staring at Krux in confusion. “Last call. Are you in, or out?”

Lloyd hesitated, looking back and forth between the ferry and his father. Giving a slight nod towards Garmadon, he eventually crossed the plank connecting the ferry to the pier. The two fathers shared a look of panic, Garmadon taking the first step towards the ferry. “Well, we cannot stop you, but there is nothing stopping us from following you.”

“Sorry, no more room.” Clouse gestured to two heavily tatooed men, the pair responding by grabbing the plank and starting to pull it back onto the ferry. “Better luck next time.”

“No room?” Garmadon glanced at Krux, who nodded in response. They ran forward, Garmadon using what was left of the plank to propel himself upwards into a backflip. He landed gracefully onto the deck, knocking over one of the two men into the water with ease. Krux on the other hand decided to take a less graceful option: throwing himself face-first onto the deck. The other man, enraged by the loss of his partner, charged at him, only for the former Elemental Master to fling him into the water as well once he had readjusted his glasses.

Clouse briefly glanced at the duo, thinking silently before saying, “I stand corrected. There’s room now.”

“Don’t worry Clouse. We’re not here to participate.” Garmadon rested a hand on Lloyd’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We’re just here to look out for our interests.”

Clouse merely rolled his eyes. “Very well then,” he muttered, turning his attention back to the ferry’s crew and shouting, “Let’s ship out!”

Garmadon found himself approached by Krux, his eyebrows scrunched into a frown. “If it’s okay with you, I’m going to find Griffin,” he whispered. Finding no issue with that, the sensei nodded, watching as he quickly scampered off to look for the brunette.

“Hey dad?” Garmadon focused his attention on Lloyd and the Ninja, who had returned from their short walk around the deck. “Who was that guy?”

“Clouse?” Garmadon feigned ignorance, knowing exactly who Lloyd was asking about. “He is Master Chen’s second-in-command, doing everything his master wishes for him to do without questions. Don’t be fooled by his attire. He is a Master of the Dark Arts, and a very dangerous individual. Never let your guard down while you are around him.”

Cole chuckled. “Huh, I thought Master Chen’s number two was an egg roll and fried rice."

“Uh, yeah, dangerous sorcerers, great,” Jay sighed in frustration. 

Lloyd shook his head at Jay’s sigh. “That other guy who was with you back at the pier. Who is he?”

“I doubt you two will have to cross paths for any reason in the future.” Garmadon noticed Krux approaching Griffin, the brunette clearly unhappy. “But if you really must know, he is Doctor Sander Saunders, Ninjago Historical Museum’s Curator.”

Lloyd looked up at where Krux was having an argument with Griffin, confusion clouding his thoughts. “What about that other guy? With the aviators?”

“I guess this is the time where I explain something Wu has purposely forgotten to inform you of, because there are somethings we didn’t want you to know.” Garmadon frowned when he saw Griffin leave, Krux staring at where his son had been in shock. “You were all led to believe you were special, yet you never questioned where your powers came from.”

“Uh, are you saying that I’m not special?” Jay looked down at his hands, twiddling his thumbs as what Garmadon said sank in. “I thought I was special.”

“Sorry Jay. We had to convince you lot to come with us somehow. Each one of you bear an Element which you have successfully learned to control, making all four of you Elemental Masters. However, you are not the only ones with those powers. Every single person on this ferry who will be competing in whatever Chen has planned is a descendant of an original Elemental Master.”

“Elemental Masters?” Lloyd tried to hide his surprise. “Who are they?”

“They were the First Spinjitzu Master’s guardians, each endowed with an Elemental power as I mentioned before. These powers were passed down for generations, skipping a few every so often.”

Kai thought to himself for a bit. “If that’s true, then Nya should be an Elemental Master as well, no? But she can’t do what I can.” 

“Can’t she? Power lies in all of you, it just needs to be awakened.” Garmadon glanced up at Krux yet again, who was staring out to sea. “The fighters here serve no master, and have managed to unlock their own True Potential.” He pointed at the transparent man, internally amazed at how his hat had not flown off in the cool twilight breeze. “For instance, that pale man over there. A distant relative to the Master of Light.” The floating shades turned around, looking in Garmadon’s direction before turning away again. “Watch closely, and you’ll see how he’s stayed hidden for so long, invisible from everyone’s sights.” He could not help but smile at the ‘woo’s and ‘ah’s he heard from the Ninja as the Master of Light made himself completely invisible, clothes and accessories disappearing from sight.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Griffin storming towards them, his teeth bared as he grumbled about something. “Over there is Griffin Turner,” he announced, flinching when he realised he had made a mistake.

Griffin looked up from the floor, eyes hidden by the aviators on his face. He stared at Garmadon for a while, unsure of what he was called over for. “Can I help you?” he asked, voice hoarse from yelling at his dad.

“What’s your relationship with Doctor Saunders?” Lloyd asked, cutting off Garmadon.

Griffin pretended to think, sneaking a peek at Krux. The former Elemental Master had his eyes on the blue ocean beside them, occasionally glancing up at the moon. “He’s my...” The Master of Time fumbled for words, unsure of what might happen should he expose Krux. After a moment of silence, he finally assured himself that no harm would come out of telling the truth. “He’s my dad.”

“Saunders was the previous Master of Speed,” Garmadon lied, trying to draw the Ninja’s attention to himself. “Since he had a child, the Element of Speed is passed down to his offspring. There is a slight chance of the Element skipping a generation, however that situation is quite rare.”

“So maybe that’s why Nya can’t use Fire,” Kai mused.

Jay snorted. “Speed doesn’t sound like an Element.” 

An idea popped into Griffin's head as he glared at Jay. If he showcased his ‘element’, perhaps it would help draw attention away from his dad? Faking a grin, he puffed out his chest and started to boast. “Oh look who’s talking!” He booped Jay’s nose, the Master of Lightning recoiling in disgust. He quickly made sure that his black leather gloves hid the glow from his powers before continuing. “You think you’re just the greatest thing in Ninjago, don’t cha? You’re all spark and no strike, so let me show you how it’s done, kid!”

With that, he focused on channeling his element, eyes glowing green as he started to speed up Time around himself by a few seconds. Making eye contact with Jay, Griffin ran off, leaping from pillar to pillar and even running upside down as he quickstepped all the way to the roof of the ferry, barely avoiding some of the other Elemental Masters on his way up. With a satisfied smile, he silently fist pumped and landed on one of the eaves, admiring the full moon and bright starry sky.

“Showoff,” Jay muttered. “Speed isn’t an element.”

“So says the Master of Lightning,” Garmadon retorted. Jay gasped in shock as the other Ninja laughed, Cole even going as far as to punch him in the shoulder.

Krux had seen Griffin run past, yet he was unsure if he should approach the Master of Time. When he had confronted him, Griffin had reacted poorly, yelling at him to leave him alone and stop fretting over every little thing he did. Was his son right? Was he really being overprotective? Then again, Griffin was legally an adult. Fighting his urge to just scream, Krux climbed up the stairs to the top level, whistling softly in hopes of getting Griffin’s attention.

“Perhaps you should give Griffin some time to himself.” A stranger in grey robes approached Krux, the former Elemental Master tensing and reaching for his hidden blades. The stranger shook his head, cool grey eyes clearly disappointed with his reaction. One of his hands rested against his temple, a finger occasionally twirling his mostly white hair. “Pitiful. One of the Hands of Time thinks he can take on an Elemental Master with nothing but a small dagger.”

“How did you—” Krux squinted, taking a closer look at the stranger’s attire. Grey with tan, an unwelcome sight. “Oh, so you’re Harold’s son. Almost didn’t recognise you without an acceptable hairstyle,” he quipped, dropping his fake accent.

The stranger rolled his eyes. “I appreciate your concern for my father’s hair, but I regret to inform you that I wasn’t lucky enough to inherit his blonde locks.”

“Sucks to be you, kid.” Krux drew his daggers, keeping his eyes on the new Master of Mind. “I may be powerless, but I can still fight.”

“I’m not here to fight,” the man calmly replied. “I’m only here to offer you advice about dealing with your son. He doesn’t understand why you’re so worked up about the concept of a Tournament of Elements, and believes that you stalked him in order to find out more, while you aren’t being clear or honest in your explanations, adding on to his confusion and anger.”

“Tch, I didn’t come here to be scolded by a Master of Mind.” Krux tightened his grip. “I’m only here to protect Griffin from Chen, and that’s that.”

The stranger nodded. “If that is true, then turn around and explain everything from scratch to Griffin.” Krux turned around, nearly dropping his daggers when he saw Griffin standing right next to him. His job done, the Master of Mind left in silence, returning to his mediation once he was out of earshot.

“Dad.” Griffin was frowning, his voice slightly strained. “Why did you try to fight Neuro?”

“I thought he was going to fight me!” Krux unintentionally raised his voice, mentally scolding himself when he saw Griffin flinch. “I-I didn’t mean to react in such a manner. It was a misunderstanding, just like what happened earlier.” The Master of Time muttered something under his breath, turning away from his dad as he shook his head. “H-hey! Listen to me when I’m talking, young man!” 

“Look, I don’t give a single damn about what Chen has in store for us!” Griffin hissed, noticing Clouse watching them from afar. “Ugh, just–” He grabbed Krux by the arm, activating his powers again to leap back up to the roof. Krux struggled to keep his balance, nearly falling off the roof once they had landed. “Careful,” Griffin held out his arm to block Krux, preventing him from falling over again. “Take a seat. I’ll explain everything once you tell me more about Chen.” 

“Next time, warn me before you do something like this.”

Griffin forced a laugh. “Sorry Dad, I can’t promise that. This is the most privacy we’ll get on this ferry.” 

Once they had settled down, Krux stared to explain Chen’s past and the Serpentine War, making sure to leave out any details about which Elemental Masters had turned on them. Griffin nodded along to the explanation, occasionally stopping him whenever someone was looking up at them. Krux found himself focusing on the fights more than Chen, emphasising on how many had fallen on the battlefield for both sides. “In the end, we never did learn from the past.” He looked down at where a man in black was talking to a lady in orange. (The Master of Metal talking to the Master of Amber, perhaps? The man had large metal gauntlets, and orange had always been Amber's signature colour.) “After the war, you would have expected the Elemental Masters to keep in touch, alerting each other of who the next of kin were. Yet, here we are. Complete strangers to one another, former friends turned against each other after years of misdirected hatred.” 

Griffin followed Krux’s line of sight, watching Kai get into a fighting stance against the man in black. “I mean, if you ignore the betrayals that happened during the War, there’s you and Uncle Acronix’s betrayal not long after the war.” He giggled when Krux whacked him on the head. “Sorry dad, I just couldn’t help myself.” 

“Now that you know what’s Chen’s deal,” Krux frowned when Kai started fighting the Master of Metal, “why did you agree to come to this Tournament of Elements?” 

“Chen wants something to do with our Elements,” Griffin explained. “I couldn’t see far enough into the future to tell what he was gonna use them for, but he’s collecting as many as he can.”

“So you came to the Tournament in hopes of stopping him?”

Griffin nodded. “Yeah. Even if he does end up taking our elements, it’s still a large group of people for him to handle. Us former Elemental Masters versus him and Clouse. Or Chen, Clouse, and a few lackeys here and there.” 

“You’re severely underestimating Chen’s influence, Griffin.” Krux sighed as he watched Clouse stop the fight between Kai and the Master of Metal. Maybe he still had new things to teach his son after all. “If he was able to spread his name onto the mainland from his small island, then he’s likely got an even larger group of supporters he’s kept in the shadows.”

“Oh well. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” 

The pair sat in silence for the rest of the journey, neither having anything else to say. Griffin eventually fell asleep, resting his head on Krux’s shoulder. They stayed like that until sunrise, where the faint outline of Chen’s island could be seen.

“A new day, a new beginning,” Krux thought to himself. “Or maybe we’re finally getting closure for an older chapter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't let them take what makes you whole  
>  _round by round the truth unfolds_  
>  **the tournament of elements is just a**  
>  ** _shooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow_**  
>  *aggressively strums on guitar*


	2. Brothers in Arms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Griffin encounters an unfamiliar face.
> 
> [Takes place between The Hands of Time (S7E1) and A Time of Traitors (S7E3).]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had this short thing lying around in my drafts for some time so i thought i'd post it. haven't been motivated enough to write for the academy, so awkward acronix/griffin interactions are how i keep myself writing.
> 
> hope this keeps yall occupied while i try to make the next chapter of the academy presentable.

Griffin was never easily surprised. His ability to predict the future often prevented unwanted accidents, such as being pranked. The ability had its downsides, though: once, he forgot to react to the surprise party his mother was holding. His grandfather’s look of disappointment was one he never forgot. Although, nothing really prepared him for a random stranger to be hugging his undisguised father in the middle of the museum. “Hey, what the fuck’s going on here?”

Krux pulled away from the hug, a frown on his face as he looked in his son’s direction. “Griffin?” His voice was normal, not the usual comical accent he used with his disguise. “I thought you were supposed to be organising the souvenir shop for tomorrow’s field trip. Why are you here?”

“I heard some noises, and I thought I’d investigate.” His mind flashed back to one of the recent visions, swallowing loudly as he recalled how he ended up dead in the nearby display coffin. “I’m sorry, should I go?”

The stranger looked between him and Griffin, confusion evident as he pulled a strange gauntlet from behind his back. “Who is this?” He asked, getting into a fighting stance when he got no reply. “Are they a threat? Should I eliminate them?” The gauntlet started glowing green, sparks flying off the blades. “A simple Time Punch to the face should do it!”

Griffin got into a similar stance, the faint blue aura enveloping his hands hidden by his gloves. He hid his anxiety behind his usual cocky smirk, humming a soft tune to calm his nerves. “I don’t know what that thing is,” he admitted, growling at the equally cocky smirk on the stranger’s face, “but I’m not going down without a fight.”

The stranger chuckled. “If a fight is what you’re looking for, then a fight’s what you’ll get!” He brandished the gauntlet, prompting Griffin to draw his sai. “A fight to the death, kid! Just you and me!”

“Stop!” Krux quickly ran between the two of them, barely stopping them from pouncing on each other. Both Griffin and the stranger immediately voiced their displeasure, which only spurred the former Master of Time on. “Will the two of you just be quiet for a few minutes so that I can explain the situation?!”

“No,” Griffin replied, the aura growing visible as he charged up a bolt of Slow. Internally, he was cheering over his interruption. “I’m going to punt this guy into the fucking ceiling if it means keeping your identity safe.”

“I willingly took off my disguise,” Krux explained, frowning at the confused ‘huh’ from his son. “Wait, don’t you recognise him?” He asked, gesturing towards the stranger. Griffin quickly shook his head. “Oops.” He sheepishly smiled. “I must have forgotten to explain that part of my history to you.”

“What history?” The stranger squinted at the current Master of Time. “Brother, who is this and why can’t I punch him?”

“‘Brother'?” Griffin lost focus, the bolt of Slow quickly dissipating. “Dad, what the fresh hell is this?!”

Krux’s brother cocked an eyebrow, allowing the gauntlet to drop to his side. “‘Dad’?” He turned back to Krux. “Is this your son?”

After attempting to explain the situation to both of them at the same time and failing miserably, Krux sighed and gestured for the duo to follow him. A moment of hesitation passed before the duo cautiously obeyed, allowing the former Master of Time to lead them to the wall. Krux squinted at the nearby statue, quickly pulling a hidden lever which reveal a hidden doorway. Inside was a large clutter of scientific equipment from various time periods, surrounding a large orange tank filled with unfamiliar reptilian eggs. “Enter, and I will tell you both the stories you need to know.”

Once the duo settled down on a nearby bench, Krux pulled out an old photo album, reluctantly flipping past the pages with photos of Penelope and Daryl. “I’ll start by telling Griffin—that’s his name by the way—what he needs to know first.” He pulled out a photo, handing it over to Griffin. In the image was a young Krux with his arm slung around the stranger’s shoulder, the duo posing with peace signs near the corpses of various Serpentine. “That image you have was taken back during the First Serpentine War,” Krux explained, digging through the album for a different photo. “Back when Acronix and I were the Masters of Time, the Time Twins, the...”

“Hands of Time!” Acronix finished cheerfully, puffing out his chest. “We were invincible, until those cursed Garmadon brothers took away what rightfully belonged to us: our powers.” He grinned. “For forty years I’ve been trapped in that vortex, but now I’m back and ready to finish what we’ve started!”

Griffin cautiously glanced at him. “So you’re Acronix Turner, the younger Time Twin?”

“And the only twin who matters,” he jokingly replied, ignoring the glare from Krux. A moment passed before his expression turned serious. “But who are you, Griffin? What makes you so special?”

“Now it’s your turn.” Krux took out a slightly burnt photo, one Griffin instantly recognised as the photo of his wedding with Penelope. “Do you remember Penelope, brother?”

Acronix nodded. “That’s the girl you kept sneaking out of base to meet, correct?” Krux stuttered out a soft ‘yes’, Griffin cocking an eyebrow at his uncharacteristic stutter.. “Is this her? The two of you got married?”

“Well, we were married, but that’s not the important part.” Krux gestured at Griffin. “This is our son, Griffin Turner. He’s the next Master of Time.”

“The next Master of Time, huh?” Acronix grinned at him. “So you’re my nephew?” He laughed, pulling the Master of Time into a tight hug and ruffling his hair. “Wonderful! An heir!”

Griffin bit his lip. The entire situation was starting to make him uncomfortable, each mention of his mother causing him to squirm in his seat. He cast a worried glance at his father, silently taken aback by the warning glare he got in return. Was Krux completely oblivious to the plight he was facing? Or was Acronix’s presence influencing him to slip back into his old ways?

“Oh!” Acronix’s hands suddenly grabbed his aviators, snapping Griffin out of his thoughts and making him flinch hard when they were torn from his face. His contacts were on, hiding his true colours from the world, yet out of instinct his hands went up to his face, covering it up. The younger Time Twin let out an annoyed huff before pinning his hands back down onto the chair, getting a good look at Griffin’s supposedly green eyes. There was a moment of silence as Acronix thought to himself, before he asked, “What’s wrong with your eyes? They’re not Time-like at all!”

“A defect!” Griffin blurted out, hoping to escape the lab as soon as possible. “It a birth defect! Never got any of the controls whatsoever!”

Krux grumbled something under his breath as he approached the duo. One of his hands shot out, grabbing Griffin’s face roughly to prevent him from moving as his other got rid of the contacts. Soon enough, the familiar red and amber eyes were shining brightly under the lab’s dim lighting. Acronix let out an amused snort, leaning closer to get a good look at Griffin’s amber eye. “No powers? Really, you’ve got to be pulling my leg.” He pulled off Griffin’s gloves. “That aura earlier...” A pause, then another excited gasp. “That was the Slow time control, right? You have my powers!”

“He has our powers,” Krux corrected, pulling out a chair to sit closer to the duo. “He’s got all four controls.”

“Yeah, I think I’m gonna go.” Griffin tried to leave, only to be pulled back down by Krux. “H-hey!”

“Brother, what do we do with him?” There was a mischievous glint in the younger Time Twin’s eyes. “He knows I’m back, and he might talk.”

Krux shook his head. “If you’re saying we keep him looked up, that would only be more suspicious.” He glanced at Griffin. “Son, we’re going to let you go now. You know what will happen if you talk.”

Griffin gulped, nodding slightly before leaving the lab.

* * *

A few days later, Griffin was back at work, handling the museum’s gift shop’s operations like usual. Taking off his work apron, he gave the cashier a friendly wave before leaving the shop for a quick break. The Master of Time slipped on his aviators, heading outside with a smile and light spring in his step. He did not get far from the entrance before he was stopped by a familiar face. “Ah,” he felt his stomach lurch, “hey Kai.”

The Master of Fire smiled, his grip on the helmet he had tightening. “Hey Griffin.” He looked around. “Is your dad here today?”

Griffin’s gaze fell to the helmet. His inventory check earlier that morning had revealed a missing Vermillion helmet, from the unit that kidnapped Cyrus Borg a few days prior. “Why do you ask?” He feigned curiosity. “Is it about that thing in your hands?”

“Oh, this?” Kai held it up, staring at it in silence. “Uh, we got it from Cyrus Borg’s kidnapper. You saw that weird snake guy on TV, didn’t you?” Griffin shook his head, biting his tongue to avoid correcting Kai on the Vermillion’s name. The ninja laughed, patting him on the shoulder. “You don’t watch a lot of TV, do you.”

“I heard about it from Father,” he lied, “but he never really went into detail.”

Kai glanced at the door. “So, are you gonna lead me to him or?”

Griffin reluctantly did, making a mental note to check on how Borg was doing after bringing Kai to Krux. The duo entered the room he had last seen his dad in, only to be greeted by an empty room. “Oops,” he pretended to curse, “silly me. He must have gone back to his office. Maybe you should go back first, and I’ll call you when he’s done with his work.”

“That’s fine.” Kai looked around, the helmet clutched close to his chest. His eyes rested on the painting of the Hands of Time. “I’ve got all day.”

“Well I don’t,” Griffin thought to himself. He left Kai in the room, going outside to check the office. Unexpectedly, the office was empty as well, save the piles of paperwork strewn across the room. The Master of Time rolled his eyes, making another mental note to scold Krux about the late paperwork as he started searching the room for hidden switches. It did not take long for him to find one in the bookcase, the encyclopaedia standing out amongst the dust-covered romance novels. Once the book was removed, the entire bookcase moved aside, exposing a dark staircase leading to the lab built beneath the museum.

“I’m telling you brother, just let me take him out!” Griffin walked in on Acronix and Krux arguing over something. “I can distract him while you get Borg out of here!”

He cleared his throat, making him presence known to the Time Twins. “Well,” Griffin started, “Kai’s here to find out about the Vermillion helmet Number Seventy-Eight left behind while kidnapping Borg. Us Elemental Masters were given a warning to keep an eye out for people that look like, well,” he glared at Acronix, “you, Acronix.”

“You’re not going to turn him in, are you?” Krux had been putting on his disguise, his glasses still missing. A hint of accusation slipped into his voice as he continued, “You wouldn’t do that to your uncle, would you?”

“O-of course not,” Griffin hastily replied. “I would never betray you or Acronix, Father.”

“But what about that pesky ninja?” Acronix interrupted, growing impatient. “He can’t stay in that room forever, we still haven’t brought out Borg yet!”

“How’s this.” Krux walked up to the exit leading to the room Kai was in. “I’ll go out there to distract Kai, while Acronix sits here and watch. Griffin, leave.”

“But Father, I–”

Krux sighed. “I don’t want you getting dragged into this affair, Griffin. This is between the Hands of Time, and the rest of Ninjago. You have no place in this fight. Besides,” he lowered his voice, “Daryl would kill me if I let you get involved. You understand?”

There was a beat of silence before Griffin answered, “Sir, yes sir.”


End file.
